Automobile signal



Juiy 10,1923, 1,461,251

, P. MLAREN AUTOMOBILE S I GNAL Filed May 23, 1921 trating Patented July10,1923.

PETER MCLAREN, @F WHTTTIER, CLKFRNE.

UTOMBILE SIGNAL Application ed May 23, 192i.

To all whom it may cof/wem:

Be it known that I, PETER MOLAREN, a citizen of the United States,residing at llfhittier, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented anew and useful Automobile Signal, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to signaling devices for use on automobiles toindicate to drivers of following machines the intended movement of themachine equipped with such a device.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device of this typecomprising a pair of electrically operated signals which may be mountedupon the fenders of an automobile, and which will have connectedtherewith means for operating either of the signals separately toindicate an intended change in the direction of travel of the cai' orfor operating both of the signals simultaneously to indicate an intendedstop.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a signal whch isoperated in connection with the pedal controls of the automobile onwhich it is used, thereby leaving the hands free to operate the leverscoming under their scope of operation.

It is also a further object to provide a signal device which will beautomatically operated when it is required to suddenly retard the motionof the machine or to bring same to a quick stop due to the appearance ofsome unforeseen obstruction of the trailic.

Other objects andl advantages will become evident throughoutthe-following specification.

Referring to the drawing which is ii'or illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional vie w through that portion of anautomobile 1n which the control pedals are located, illusthe manner inwhich the novel switch which I employ is connected to and operatedthrough the control pedals.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the rearward portion of an automobileshowing one of the signals I employ mounted on the fender thereof. n

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the switch shown in Fig. 1, in whch theelectrical connections thereto are indicated diagrammatically.

Fig. 4 is a view of a section through the switch and is taken on a planerepresented by the line 4-4 of Fi 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertica cross sectional View Serial tte. 471,773.

through one of the signals on a plane represented by the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The device which ll have invented coinprises essentially of a switch 11.which is operated through the medium of the control pedals l2 and 13,andv which switch makes electrical connection with the signals 14 and 15upon the operation of the respective pedals. The switch l1 may besuitably mounted, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, upon thetransmission case 18 by the use of angle clips 19 secured to the case 18by machine screws 20. This switch 11 has slide .bars and 26 which areslidably mounted by a base 27 and which have attached to the sidesthereof Contact plates 28 and 29; the plate 28 being adapted to makeelectrical contact with brushes 30 and 3l, and the plate 29 beingadapted to make electrical contact with brushes 32 and 33. The slidebars 25 and 26 are preferably made of some insulating material such assheet liber, and have suitably attached to their bottoms plates 35 whichextend beyond the sides of the bars to forni flanges therefor. A centerplate 36 and side plates 37 are attached to the base 27 which is alsomade of an insulating material, and are held spaced away therefrom bystrips 39 and 40. The plates 36 and 37 extend over the `iianges formedby the plates'35 and form a means of keeping the slide bars 25 and 26 intheir proper operating positions.

The brushes 30, 31, 32 and 33 are formed integrally from sheet metal andare provided with base portions by which they are screwed to insulatingplates 46 mounted upon the metal plates .37. lThe forward brushes30 and32 are provided with binding posts 49 and 50 mounted upon theirrespective bases 45, from which binding posts the external connectionswith the signals 14 and 15 are made.

The contact plates 28 and 29 are provided with binding posts 51 and 52to which the battery connections are made by means of flexibleconductors 53 as indicated in Fig. 1. The slide bars 25 and 26 areoperated through the medium of the control pedals 12 and 13, the motionof the pedals being transferred to the slide bars through rods extendingfrom lugs suitably formed upon the control pedals and connected to theslide bars by clevises 57 and 58.

The signals 14 and 15 are identical in construction and consist each ofa body 60 provided with light receptacles 61 and 62 in which are locatedincandescent globes 63. Within the body 60 are slides 65 in which a taret 67 operates. A solenoid 70 mounted wit in the body 60 provides anoperating means for the target 67 through the movement of its core 71which has connection to the target through a lever 75 and toggle links76 and 77.

In the present construction of automobiles there is an amount ofclearance in the coacting parts which comprise the different controlsystems which varies with the different makes of automobiles. Wheneither the clutch dal or the brake pedal is advanced, a portion of theadvance is consumed in taking up the clearance existing between thediilerent parts thereof before either the clutch is acted upon to bewithdrawn from engagement or the brake band brought into frictionalengagement with the brake drum. In the o eration of my signaling deviceI utilize this ineffectual movement of the control pedals in operatingthe signals independently or simultaneously as will hereinafter bedescribed.

When the driver desires to indicate his intention of turning to theleft, the left hand pedal is advanced a slight distance. The advancemovement thereof causes also a partial advance in the position of theslide bar owing to the pedal 12 and the slide bar 25 being connected bythe link 55. In bein thereupon advanced in the direction in icated bythe arrow 80 in Fig. 3 the slide bar 25 is brought into a position whichwill cause the brush 32 to rest upon the contact late 29 and the signal14 will be energize through the 'closing of a circuit rmed by t e lead85, a branch 86 which makes connection with the binding post 52 of the'contact plate 29, a conductor 87 leading from the binding post 50 ofthe brush 32 to the parts of the signal susceptible to energization, aconductor 88, and a conduc- 4tor 89 in which is located a switch 90 andwhich forms a return `to the battery 91. When the circuit is thusclosed, current flows through both the lamps 63 and the winding of thesolenoid 70 and causes the lamps to become lighted and the solenoid toattract the core 7l and to withdraw same from the position in which itis shown in Fig. 2, thereby lifting the tar et 67 and exposing same asindicated by t e dotted line portion 98 of Fig. 5.

Likewise an intended turn to the right is made known to the drivers offollowin cars by similarly advancing the right han pedal 13 and therebycausing the advance of the slide bar 26 by virture of their beingconnected by the link 56. The contact plate 1s then brought into contactwith the brush closing the circuit formed through the lead 85, a branch92 which connects to the binding post of the contact plate 28, a consductor 93 connecting between the binding post 59 of the brush 30 and theelements of the signal 15, a conductor 94, and the conductor 89 whichreturns to the battery 91 as hereinbefore mentioned. The signal 15 isthen energized and the target thereof brought into view and the lightsthereof lighted.

An intended stop is indicated by displaying both signals at the sametime and is accomplished by slightly advancing both pedalssimultaneously, and is also automatically accomplished by advancingeither of the pedals suiliciently to operate the parts with which theyare associated, such as applyin the brake while the clutch is leftengage t momentarily retard the motion of the machine, or the throwingout of the clutch by advancing the clutch pedal when it is required tocome to a complete stop.

When the pedal 13, which is generally the brake pedal, is advancedsufficiently to cause the brake to frictionally engage, the slide bar 26is moved forward into the position indicated by the dotted lines 100 inFig. 3. In this position both the brush 30 and the brush 31 rest uponthe contact plate 26 with the result that the signal 15 is energizedthrough the circuit closed `by the brush 30 coming into contact with thelate 28 as before mentioned, and the signa 14 is energized by a flow ofcurrent through the brush 31 and the cross connection 101 which providesa conductor between the brush 31 and the plate mounting the binding post50 which js in circuit with the signal 14. A like energization of boththe signal 14 and the signal 15 is accomplished when the dal 12 which isgenerally the clutch pedal, is advanced sufliciently to disengage theclutch, as the contact plate 29 will then be in a position to cause theclosing of two separate circuits, having therein the signals 14 and 15,through the brushes 32 and 33, the brush 33 being connected with theplate 45 mounting the binding post 49, by a cross connection 102.

It will be perceived from the foregoing description that the operationof my signaling device is accomplished entirely by the feet of thedriver and without the necessity of'shifting the feet from the positionrepiired thereby to operate the control pedals.

lso with the use of my device the hands are left free to perform the vernecessary thereto in functions which are apportione the driving of anautomobile.

'My invention lies chiefly in the development of the idea of operating asingle si nal by partially advancing either the clutc or t e brakepedal, and the'operating of both signals by advancing either of thesepedals suicielntly to actuate the parts which they contro I claim as myinvention:

1. In a signaling device the combination of: a suitable number ofelectrically operated signals; levers adapted to actuate certainmechanisms; switch means associated with one of said levers to close anelectric circuit including certain of said signals when said lever is`partially advanced, said switch means to close a circuit' including allof said signals when said lever is advanced suficiently to actuate saidmechanism associated therewith; and switch means associated with anotherof said levers to close a circuit including another of said signals whensaid secondly named lever is partially advanced, said secondly namedswitch means to close a circuit including all of said signals when saidsecondly named lever is advanced sufficiently to actuate said mechanismassoeiated therewith.

2. In a signaling device, the combination of: a pair of electricallyoperated signals; a clutch actuating lever; a brake actuating lever;switch means associated with said clutch actuating lever to close anelectric circuit including one of said signals when said clutchactuating lever is partially advanced, and to close a circuit includingboth of said signals when said clutch lever is advanced sufliciently toactuate said clutch; and switch means associated with said brakeactuating lever to close an electric circuit includin the other of saidsignals when said bra e actuating lever is partially advanced, and toclose a circuit including both of said signals when said brake lever isadvanced suiiiciently to actuate said brake.

3. In a signalling device, the combi'nation of: a pair of signals; aclutch actuating lever; a brake actuating lever; means associated withsaid clutch lever for operating one of said signals when said clutchlever is partially advanced, and for operating both of said signals whensaid clutch lever is full advanced; and means associated with sai brakelever fo'r operating the other of said signals when said brake lever ispartially advanced, and for operating both of said signals when saidbrake lever is fully advanced.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 13th day of May, 1921.

PETER MOLAREN.

